domain name & governance news - 7 August

[David Goldstein <goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au>]

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Sponsored by the Singapore Internet Research Centre
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/
Internet in Asia blog:
http://internetinasia.typepad.com/
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India should be active in Net governance: Expert
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1761946,00040006.htm

eu: Small countries have more .eu domain registrations
? Report
http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=17253
http://www.ipwalk.com/general/show_news/id/33

cm: Nation of Cameroon Typo-Squats the Entire .com
Space by By John Berryhill
http://www.circleid.com/posts/nation_of_cameroon_typosquats_com_space/

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RESEARCH PAPERS
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Jefferson Rebuffed - The United States and the Future
of Internet Governance by VIKTOR MAYER-SCHOENBERGER &
MALTE ZIEWITZ, Harvard University - John F. Kennedy
School of Government (KSG Working Paper)
Abstract: Over the last several years, many have
called for an internationalization of Internet
governance in general, and Internet naming and
numbering in particular. The multi-year WSIS process
that culminated in November 2005 was intended to
create momentum in such direction. The United States
has long resisted such internationalization, fearing
in particular the growing influence of China and
similar nations. In September 2005 the European Union
put forward a proposal which would have offered a
constitutional moment for Internet governance by
suggesting internationalization based on fundamental
values of the Internet community. The swift rejection
of the proposal by the US was surprising, both from a
tactical as well as - in light of its own
constitutional history - a substantive viewpoint. In
this article we describe the main features of the
European proposal and what it might have created. We
evaluate four possible arguments explaining US
rejection: delegation of power, objective rights,
public choice, and de-legitimization of international
regimes.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=902374

New Governance and Legal Regulation: Complementarity,
Rivalry or Transformation by DAVID M. TRUBEK & LOUISE
G. TRUBEK - University of Wisconsin (published: Univ.
of Wisconsin Legal Studies Research Paper)
Abstract: New approaches to regulation have emerged to
deal with inadequacies of traditional command and
control systems. Such new governance mechanisms are
designed to increase flexibility, improve
participation, foster experimentation and
deliberation, and accommodate complex multi-level
systems. In many cases these mechanisms co-exist with
conventional forms of regulation. As new forms of
governance emerge in arenas regulated by conventional
legal processes, a wide range of configurations is
possible. The purpose of this paper is to provide a
preliminary mapping of such relationships using
examples drawn from the European Union and the United
States. When the two processes are consciously yoked
together in a hybrid form, we might speak of a real
transformation in the law. In other cases, the two
systems may exist in parallel but not fuse together in
a single system. Where both systems co-exist, there
are numerous possible configurations and relationships
among them. Thus, one might simply be used to launch
the other, as when formal law is used to mandate a new
approach. Or, they might operate independently yet
both may have an effect on the same policy domain.
Finally, in some areas one system may take over the
field, ether because new governance methods replace
traditional law altogether, or because opposition to
innovation halts efforts to employ new approaches.

Domain name protection in Hong Kong: flaws and
proposals for reform by GRACE CHAN (published:
International Journal of Law and Information
Technology)
Abstract: In Hong Kong, domain name disputes are
governed by a policy that is heavily influenced by
that of the US-based Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (`ICANN`), which is designed to protect
interests of some trademark owners at the expense of
some domain name registrants. The root cause of Hong
Kong`s adherence to US Domain Name Dispute Resolution
Policy lies in the physical architecture of the domain
name system itself, which is US-controlled. Hong Kong
may improve protection for domain name registrants by
amending the Hong Kong Domain Name Dispute Resolution
Policy to make it more registrant-friendly than it
currently is. In the longer run, however, Hong Kong`s
ultimate power to decide on its own domain name
dispute policy may involve moving away from the
superior authority of the A root. A concurrent and
less drastic step to improve the situation would be to
clarify the ability of domain name registrants to
register their domain names under trademark law. 
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=915212

The Constitutional Failing of the Anticybersquatting
Act by NED SNOW - University of Arkansas (published:
Willamette Law Review)
Abstract: Eminent domain and thought control are
occurring in cyberspace. Through the
Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), the
government transfers domain names from domain-name
owners to private parties based on the owners'
bad-faith intent. The owners receive no just
compensation. The private parties who are recipients
of the domain names are trademark holders whose
trademarks correspond with the domain names. Often the
trademark holders have no property rights in those
domain names: trademark law only allows mark holders
to exclude others from making commercial use of their
marks; it does not allow mark holders to reserve the
marks for their own use. The property transfer is thus
not based on existing property rights that a trademark
holder has in the domain name. Instead, the ACPA
facilitates the property transfer based on the
thoughts of a domain-name owner. The ACPA requires
only that a domain-name owner have acquired a domain
name through trafficking, where traffic is defined to
include any means of acquisition; and that a
domain-name owner have a bad-faith intent, where bad
faith is determined by unfettered judicial discretion
and where the actionable intent may exist at any time
(not merely the time of acquisition). In short, if a
domain-name owner has somehow acquired a domain name,
or in other words, is in possession of it, and if that
owner then thinks bad-faith thoughts, the government
may appropriate the domain name for a third party's
use. This basis for transferring property -- thought
and the expression thereof -- violates basic tenants
of First Amendment law. The transfer is without
permissible justification. The government controls
thought through eminent domain.
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=901061

Cisco's The Internet Protocol Journal - June 2006
Geoff Huston describes numerous research proposals
related to TCP and discusses lessons learned by
operators and researchers involved with this protocol.
http://cisco.com/web/about/ac123/ac147/about_cisco_the_internet_protocol_journal.html

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GOVERNANCE
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How the web went world wide
In a few short years the web has become so familiar
that it is hard to think of life without it. Along
with that familiarity with browsers and bookmarks goes
a little knowledge about the web's history. Many users
know that Sir Tim Berners-Lee developed the web at the
Cern physics laboratory near Geneva. But few will know
the details of the world wide web's growth - not least
because the definitive history of how that happened
has yet to be written.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5242252.stm

India should be active in Net governance: Expert
Though India is a recognised IT power, it has done
little when it comes to global Internet governance,
according to an expert who has appealed to Indian
professionals to be more active in this crucial area.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1761946,00040006.htm
http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=2963

US likely to retain internet oversight
The US Government appears unlikely to relinquish
supervision of the system for assigning and managing
website names after a Commerce Department hearing
raised concerns about giving an obscure California
non-profit company control.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=30&ContentID=2288

ISOC calls for greater autonomy for key Internet
organization (news release)
Speaking during today's US Commerce Department's
National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) public meeting on the transition
of the Internet's domain name system (DNS) to the
private sector, ISOC President and CEO Lynn St. Amour
outlined how key Internet organizations need to have
enough autonomy to respond appropriately to the
fast-changing technical and operational environment of
the Internet.
http://www.isoc.org/isoc/media/releases/060726pr.shtml

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DOMAIN NAMES
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eu: Small countries have more .eu domain registrations
? Report
Countries with small populations have a higher number
of .eu domain name registrations, reports market
research firm IPwalk.
http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=17253
http://thewhir.com/marketwatch/080306_Ipwalk_Reports_More_eu_Anomalies.cfm

Malta features highest .eu domain names per citizen
More evidence of irregularities in the registration of
.eu domain names has been uncovered in a study by
internet monitoring group Ipwalk.
http://www.maltamedia.com/news/2005/eu/article_10983.shtml
http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/portal.jhtml?id=243252&pid=23

More .EU Registration Anomalies
Taking population size into account shows large
irregularities in .eu domain name registrations.
Malta, Luxembourg, Cyprus and the Netherlands have a
very high number of registrations compared to their
population size, much larger than strong Internet
countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom.
http://www.biosmagazine.co.uk/article.php?id=3900
http://www.ipwalk.com/general/show_news/id/33
http://www.webhostdir.com/news/articles/shownews.asp?id=16820
http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/361478/eu-watchdog-probes-more-abnormalities.html

cm: Nation of Cameroon Typo-Squats the Entire .com
Space by By John Berryhill
The .cm (Cameroon) ccTLD operators have discovered
that since their TLD is simply one omitted letter away
from .com, that there is a gold mine in the typo
traffic that comes their way. Accordingly, Cameroon
has now wild-carded its ccTLD and is monetizing the
traffic. The upshot is that, if the Neiman Marcus /
Dotster lawsuit over 27 domain names was properly
characterized as "massive", then the Cameroonians are
now going well beyond massive.
http://www.circleid.com/posts/nation_of_cameroon_typosquats_com_space/

au: Connect West breaches Registrar Agreement (news
release)
auDA has found that Connect West failed to properly
manage domain name renewals during June and July.
http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-04082006/

au: auDA to open Board meeting to the public (news
release)
Internet users interested in the future of the
Australian Internet will be able to attend auDA's
first public Board meeting
http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-03082006/

au: auDA reviews domain expiry, renewal and deletion
policy (news release)
auDA invites comment and feedback on the policy and
process for handling domain name renewals and
deletions.
http://auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-24072006/

us: Lawsuit Naming High-Volume, Domain "Tasting"
Registrar Blazes New Trail in Combating Online
Trademark Infringement
A recent federal lawsuit, filed by Neiman Marcus and
Bergdorf Goodman against domain name registrar
Dotster, may anticipate a new technique for trademark
owners to police their intellectual property rights
online. The complaint, filed May 30, 2006 in U.S.
District Court in the Western District of Washington,
alleges that Dotster registered domain names that
infringe the trademarks of the plaintiffs. The unique
aspect of the complaint alleges that Dotster took
advantage of its position as a registrar to register
high-traffic, infringing domain names using an
increasingly common practice known as "domain
tasting," also referred to as "domain kiting" by
GoDaddy?s Bob Parsons. The most recent publicly
available data from VeriSign, the .com registry,
indicate that Dotster may be only one of at least
seven registrars "tasting" domain names.
http://www.mondaq.com/news.asp?e=1&a=41528

VeriSign June/July Digital Branding Bulletin
Includes stories on New White Paper Explores Impact of
Recent DNS Attacks; .FR ? Individuals Can Register
Domain Names Starting June 20; .NO ? Registry Issues
Alerts to Registrants Who Do Not Meet Requirements;
.PK - Second-Level Launch Now Expected in Late June;
.VN - Second-Level Live Launch Now Expected in July;  
  * Recent Sales Illustrate Growing Global Interest in
ccTLDs; and Domain Name Registration Statistics.
http://www.verisign.com/Resources/Digital_Brand_Management_Services_Resources/Digital_Branding_Bulletin/page_038172.html

Go Daddy's Domain Portfolio - More Than Twice the Size
of Nearest Competitor
The Go Daddy Group announced that the combined domain
portfolio for its three ICANN-accredited registrars
has doubled that of any of its nearest competitors.
http://www.webhostdir.com/news/articles/shownews.asp?id=16807
http://www.tophosts.com/articles/003503.html

ch/li: Popular Dispute Resolution Service for domain
names
The Dispute Resolution Service for domain names ending
in .ch and .li that was set up by SWITCH is still
meeting with a high level of acceptance in the second
year of its existence.
http://www.switch.ch/about/news-archive.html?id=119

A domain by any other name is not the same
These days, you really can't start a small business
without getting on the Web, but it's also never been
harder to score a snappy URL.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/02/smbusiness/domains/index.htm

Register.it to acquire Nominalia for 5.2m euros
Register.it, an internet domain hosting and managing
company, has agreed to acquire 100 per cent of the
market shares in Spanish internet services company
Nominalia for ?5.2m.
http://dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=17271

Alabanza sells BulkRegister subsidiary
Web hosting company Alabanza Corp. is selling its
Internet domain name registrar, BulkRegister, to
competitor eNom Inc.
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2006/07/31/daily12.html
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.digest04aug04,0,4663392.story

Unternehmensmeldung: Internetadressen für
Mobiltelefone am Start
eingetragene Warenzeichen von Unternehmen als .mobi
Domainnamen. Ab dem 28. August können sich
Privatnutzer für einen eigenen .mobi Namen anmelden.
Die Registrierungsphase läuft bereits seit dem 22.
Mai, zu diesem Zeitpunkt konnten sich Mitglieder von
Verbänden der Mobilfunkindustrie ihren mobilen
Domainnamen sichern.
http://www.e-commerce-magazin.de/index.php3?page=news-show_neu.php3&naechster=9570

Telekom Austria will IPv6 pushen
TA-Technikchef: "Man kann sich die Migration
allerdings nicht wie das Umlegen eines Schalters
vorstellen"
http://derstandard.at/?id=2540557

Rapide point sur les activités de l'Arbitration Center
for .eu Disputes
A la mi-juillet, le Centre avait enregistré plus de
400 litiges relatifs à des noms de domaine
communautaire. Plus des trois quarts des actions
engagées l'ont été contre des décisions de l'EURid. Le
Centre a fait paraître ces derniers jours de nouvelles
décisions, qui seront résumées dans cette colonne
prochainement.
http://domaine.blogspot.com/2006/08/rapide-point-sur-les-activits-de.html

Sobre el cctld .co
Regulada la Administración del dominio .co a través de
la Ley 1065/2006, por medio de la cual se define la
administración de registros de nombres de dominio .co
y se dictan otras disposiciones. Nota: Por: Wilson
Rios, Presidente del Centro Colombiano del Derecho de
Autor (CECOLDA)
http://www.latinoamericann.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1328

.co, cambiando las reglas?
por la cual se define la administración de registros
de nombres de dominio.co y se dictan otras
disposiciones, la República de Colombia ha colocado un
paso en un tema sobre el cual la situación puede
tornarse incierta.
http://www.latinoamericann.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1327

Uribe sanciona Ley que pone punto final a lío de
administración de dominio .co en Internet
El derecho de uso puede otorgarse previo pago de una
contraprestación al Estado que se determinará tomando
en cuenta las inversiones necesarias, su retorno, los
gastos y los costos necesarios para la administración
de dicha función, en el marco de los resultados del
análisis comparativo a nivel latinoamericano en
relación con el valor cobrado al usuario por dicha
función, que debe realizar anualmente el Ministerio de
Comunicaciones.
http://www.latinoamericann.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1326

Nuevos dominios, ¿ya los reservó?
Cuando Gary Kremen registró en 1994 los nombres
sex.com y match.com ni él mismo imaginaba que, con el
tiempo, esa decisión lo convertiría en
multimillonario. Kremen pasó a la historia de la venta
de direcciones de Internet, dominios o ?URL? al vender
recientemente sex.com por la increíble suma de 14
millones de dólares a una empresa norteamericana.
http://www.tdm.com/Computacion/2006/08/20060803-0001.html

Sagan om internet - så här långt
Helgläsning Historien om internet handlar om teknik.
Men allra mest handlar den om människor. Om visionärer
som brann för programmering, men också om dig och mig
och annat vanligt folk. Vi berättar sagans början ?
för något slut finns inte.
http://idg.se/ArticlePages/200606/21/20060621152140_IDG.se298/20060621152140_IDG.se298.dbp.asp

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Sources include Quicklinks <http://qlinks.net/> and
BNA Internet Law News <http://www.bna.com/ilaw/>.

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(c) David Goldstein 2006

David Goldstein
 address: 4/3 Abbott Street
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           AUSTRALIA
 email: Goldstein_David @yahoo.com.au
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